A recent ruling has seen the sentence of a man convicted of terrorism-related offences doubled by an Appeals Court. The man, now 28, was arrested in Limassol in January 2021, where he was subsequently found guilty of serious charges that warranted a prison sentence.
- This ruling signals a firm stance on terrorism-related offences by the judicial system, reflecting a commitment to addressing threats to public safety decisively.
The initial sentence handed down by the criminal court was two years, a decision that the attorney-general’s office deemed too lenient. Following this, they lodged an appeal against the ruling. The Appeals Court reviewed the case and delivered its judgment last week, agreeing to double the sentence to four years.
In its assessment, the Appeals Court upheld the criminal court’s findings, which revealed significant and concerning evidence on the defendant’s mobile phone. Authorities found extensive materials related to the manufacture of bombs and makeshift explosive devices, along with hazardous chemical and biological substances. Furthermore, the phone contained instructional videos detailing how to execute attacks on various public venues, including restaurants, buses, and nightclubs.
The criminal court had cited the nature and volume of these instructional materials as indicative of a person preparing to commit acts of terrorism. The Appeals Court also dismissed arguments put forth by the defence attorney, who contended that the original court had misinterpreted the defendant’s intentions and had placed undue weight on his ideological beliefs and political opinions.
This ruling signals a firm stance on terrorism-related offences by the judicial system, reflecting a commitment to addressing threats to public safety decisively.